1Identify the major themes and issues prompted by the term American.

2Assess the multiple processes by which people express, institutionalize, celebrate, and contest American identities.

3Appreciate the cultural diversity of the American experience, especially in terms of class, ethnicity, gender, and race.

4Develop the skills to analyze aspects of American culture using interdisciplinary source materials, research methodologies, and intellectual approaches.

5Reach independent conclusions based on that analysis, and communicate them effectively verbally and in writing.